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Difficulty: MediumFederation of 1901 and the Commonwealth

In the late 1800s1800s, the 66 separate colonies in Australia held public votes to decide on uniting. Which body passed the official law that allowed these colonies to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 19011901?

  1. The British ParliamentAnswer
  2. B
    The Australian Federal Parliament
  3. C
    The High Court of Australia

Answer

The correct answer is the British Parliament, as it was the legislative body with the authority to pass the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act.
The British Parliament is the correct answer because Australia's 66 colonies were British territories. To unite as a single nation, the British Parliament had to pass the 'Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act', which legally created the new nation on January 1,19011, 1901.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the political status of Australia prior to 19011901.
The land consisted of 66 separate, self-governing British colonies.
Understanding the colonial relationship explains why the legal authority resided in Britain.
2
Analyze the legal process required to unite these colonies into one nation.
A Constitution was drafted and approved by the people, but it required a legal act to become binding law.
National unification required a formal change in the legal structure governing the colonies.
3
Determine which body had the power to pass the 'Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act'.
The British Parliament passed the Act in 19001900, which took effect on January 1,19011, 1901.
As British colonies, only the British Parliament had the sovereign power to grant the colonies the status of a Commonwealth nation.

Key Concept

Legislative authority and the legal process of Federation in 19011901.

Hints

1
Think about the relationship between Australia and Great Britain during the late 19th19th century.
2
The colonies were self-governing but still required legal permission from their 'mother country' to unite.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Federation of 1901 and the Commonwealth

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